


The Stories On My Skin

by Imissyoutoo



Series: Irondad Oneshots [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Angry Peter Parker, Angry Tony Stark, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, IronDad and SpiderSon, Irondad, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Scars, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Worried Tony Stark, spiderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22087153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imissyoutoo/pseuds/Imissyoutoo
Summary: “Yeah wellI didn’t realise that you fucking cared so much!” The word’s erupted from Peter’s throat before he could catch them, the teens repressed temper finally snapping in half.Tony’s entire body froze, pure shock knocking the already heaving breathes of sharp air from his lungs. Peter had never spoken to him like that. Hell, he imagined the boy never spoke to anyone like that.In which Tony sees all the scars Peter has endured from Spider-Manning, and as you would expect goes into full Dad-mode.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Irondad Oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1881397
Comments: 36
Kudos: 766





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been a while since I’ve written anything and I’ve been super busy with school, exam year is shiTe but hopefully you guys like this. I really enjoyed writing it.

“Kid, you care to tell me what those are?” Tony questioned apprehensively, failing to conceal the alarmed waver in his voice.

Peter was sat neatly on the edge of a bed in Medbay, his crimson-strained shirt discarded in a disheveled heap beside him. He wove his fingers together, urgently trying to prohibit himself from fidgeting anxiously until Dr Banner returned with his results.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on his aching bones, and the teen was beginning to think even the circles under his eyes had circles. He was drained; though Peter expected that’s simply what happened when a bullet had been fished out of your flesh.

He had been out on Patrol—a reasonably quiet and peaceful night—when the shrill sound of screaming pieced his eardrums.

_”Karen what the hell was that?” Peter yelped, covering his masked ears._

_  
“There appears to be an armed robbery in a store across the street. I have scanned two men, one of them has a gun aimed at a frightened customer.”_

_“Okay, I’m going in... I’ll take the back entrance- take them by surprise.” Peter exclaimed in a hushed whisper, voicing his plan aloud._

_“Be careful Peter.” It amazed Peter how whole-heartedly concerned Karen could sound, and he wondered if she had deliberately been programmed that way._

_“You know me Karen!”_

_“That’s why I said it.” The AI deadpanned._

_Man, he really needed to talk to Mr. Stark about Karen’s increasing levels of sass._

As anticipated, things did not go well.

Peter had successfully managed to infiltrate the store, whilst also webbing up one of the attackers in the process. However he failed to notice the other robber’s hands moulded around yet another gun; his fingers trained firmly on the trigger.

Without hesitation, he hurled himself directly in front of the shops only customer, catching the women’s watery, blue gaze; her eyes were red rimmed and swollen.

Before managing to master an escape, a single shot rang out, causing an excruciating pain to cripple Peter’s shoulder.

Usually Peter would crudely patch himself up using some bandages, hoping a good nights sleep would help him heal. However, on this occasion the bullet hadn’t gone all the way through, and he was way too disoriented to even try to use some of May’s eyebrow tweezers.

Long story short, he winded up having an undesired conversation with a very concerned and frustrated Tony Stark, before being compelled to Medbay.

“Peter- I asked you something. Can you tell me what those are?”

“Wha- what’s what Mr Stark?” Peter asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he scanned himself up and down.

“ _Those_ Peter...those marks on you.” Tony pointed with a slightly trembling finger

.

“O-oh! Yeah those, um their just...ur scars. Y’know...from Spider-manning.” He shrugged in a nonchalant manner.

“Okay hold up.” Tony demanded firmly, whilst holding up one of his hands. “I thought with your super-healing you couldn’t get scars? At least not...not that badly.”

Peter could feel his cheeks heat up. _He didn’t think they looked that bad?_ The restless teen instantly curled his arms around his exposed chest, vulnerability washing over his youthful face.

“Not that it’s a bad thing, kid.” Tony announced, holding his hands up in surrender as he sensed the boy’s trepidation. “I was just curious since I thought your spider stuff took care off any cuts and bruises. I guess we’ll just have to keep a better eye on-“

“No no Mr Stark- it’s-it’s fine. Y-your right I do heal from um cuts and bruises. These scars are just from worse stuff...” Peter trailed off.

_He really didn’t want to have to explain to Tony that the scars were a result of a vast warehouse crushing him, or from_ _serrated metal talons piecing his skin_.

“Worse stuff? I’m not getting it kiddo.” The man declared whilst shaking his head slightly in confusion.

“I just mean...well I-I’m actually really lucky. The injuries probably should have killed me, but instead I just ended up with a few gnarly scars. So-so it’s all good. It’s not a big deal.”

Peter spoke as if he could sense that his mentor was already on edge, though that was probably due to him rocking up with a bullet lodged in his shoulder, and coating the room with various shades of his blood.

“I’m sorry, you mean to tell me that _even_ with your whole super healing jig, you’ve been hurt so badly that you’ve nearly died?!” Tony snapped, curling his open hands into fists.

“Well, I mean... yeah, I thought that was obvious, I-I mean even before you saw the scars?” Peter uttered, latching his teeth onto his cracked bottom lip. He was conscious of how his mentors knuckles were steadily turning white.

“ _Obvious_. You have got to be kidding me! If it was so obvious how come I didn’t know about it huh?” 

“But half of them had happened before I had even met you!” He defended, completely unaware of why the man was freaking out.

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tell me if you were hur- wait _half_ of them? What do you mean _half_ of them?”

_Fuck, he hadn’t meant to admit that. He was just trying to prove a point._

“Mr Stark, there was nothing you could have done about it. They’re scars because they’ve already healed, it’s not like an open wound, so it’s really not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal my ass! With your super-healing you shouldn’t even _have _any__ scars Peter! Not unless you were inches away from- from...” Tony’s words flatlined in his throat as he began to sound strangled, not wanting to imagine how badly those injuries could have ended. Something far worse than a scar.

“-And you didn’t answer the question! Half of them happened before I met you? What about the other half huh? And why don’t I know about it? I swear if you hacked into that suit again-“

“I couldn’t hack into it even if I wanted to! you took it from me!” Peter cried, immediately recoiling backwards as he realised what he had let loose _ _._ God why couldn’t he just stop talking._

“W-What? What are you-“ Tony spluttered, all anger seeping out of him. _When had he taken the suit? What was the kid talking about?_

“H-homecoming night... you remember the vulture?” _Right...of course_. He nodded apprehensively. “Yeah well, he um, well a lot of stuff went down so... yeah a lot of them are from- from then.”

“He did _that_ to you _? W_ hy didn’t you tell me you were hurt that bad from the plane crash kid?” Tony questioned, his eyes softening significantly in concern, as he lent forward and gave Peter’s knee a gentle squeeze _ _.__

“B-because then...then I’d have to tell you the whole story. A-and I didn’t want you to feel mad or guilty about...y’know taking the suit and all...” Peter picked the at invisible lint on his trousers, deliberately avoiding his mentor’s intense scrutiny.

“I’m lost here kid...so you gotta help me out. What else happened? I won’t be mad I promise.” He reassured solemnly.

“And you won’t feel guilty?” Peter questioned, looking at him innocently through dark lashes.

“You got hurt when I took the suit away. I can’t not feel guilty about that Pete. But... I’ll feel worse if there’s something big that I don’t know about.” Tony affirmed.

“O-okay.” Peter mumbled doubtfully. Tony gave his knee another tender squeeze in encouragement. For someone who claimed to be abrupt and bad with children, Tony was incredibly patient when it came to Peter. He would wait all day for the kid if he had to.

“I– um...I mean, I followed him–the Vulture. Before the whole plane crash...you see these ones?” He pointed at a set of three unorthodox–shaped marks on his stomach. They looked like washed up ivory fish bones on his skin, and together formed a triangle formation.

Tony nodded.

“They’re from his ur...his weird ass talon things” Tony couldn’t suppress a wince. He didn’t know all of the details as to what happened during the plane crash fiasco, but the thought of his kid’s chest being penetrated by talons, made him feel physically ill.

“But this one...” Peter continued, delicately tracing his fingers along an angrier pink mark which was located on his shoulder blade. It was around three inches long and sunk deeply into his skin.

“This one is um, is from something different.” Peter finished hesitantly.

“Different?” Tony’s voice hitched, dreading the answer.

“Yeah... you um, you know I said I followed him? Well it was to this crazy big warehouse made of stone right? And it had these columns in– support ones like you see at the subway.”

Tony had no idea why the kid was referencing the building’s architecture, but he was aware that the boy tended to ramble when he was nervous so he decidedly brushed the comment off.

“He-he ur...was controlling his suit so it was flying around everywhere, y’know with the detachable steel wings?”

Peter was telling the story through questions, a nervous habit he had picked up when having to come up with lies to tell May when he was sneaking out as Spider-Man.

Tony nodded again.

“A-and he was telling me all this stuff about how I’d lost. Which in hindsight I should have probably considered as a possibility...but I was so convinced I had everything under control!” Peter added frantically, it seemed like he was trying to reassure himself of that fact just as much as Tony.

“Anyway, so I was like... _’what are you talking about that thing hasn’t even touched me yet’_ , but then he was all like: _’true but then again...it wasn’t really trying to’_....” Peter stated, poorly mimicking Toomes voice.

Tony could swear his heart stopped dead in his chest. Part of him wanted to intervene, swaddle the kid in bubblewrap and agree he never wanted to hear the rest of the story. However, he knew that whatever he was about to hear, was something the kid had actually experienced. He owed it to Peter to listen.

“And then he um, well it-it...urgh!”

_Why couldn’t he just say it? Anyone else would have gotten over it by now so why couldn’t he? Call himself a hero... Peter’s toxic thoughts warped his brain, causing his breathes to become short and vexed._

“Hey hey, breathe...take your time, it’s okay.” Tony reassured, his voice tender as he rubbed a calloused thumb over the boy’s knuckles. Peter had never seen the man be this gentle before, and he was surprised to find all of his exasperation gradually melting away.

“Then..then...the building f-fell. On me.” Peter ended, his gaze trained securely on his lap.

“The-the building fell on top of you?” Tony’s eyes widened in bewilderment, and all of a sudden it was like he was trapped; trying to maul his way out of one of his dreaded nightmares.

“Yeah- like I was trapped underneath it.. I-I really thought I was going to die there, it was super heavy.”

_Heavy. The boy had been crushed alive by tonnes of concrete and he was describing it as heavy_. Tony could feel his mouth gaping open in disbelief, as guilt manifested itself into every crevice in his soul. 

“How-how did you get out?” Tony forced out, aware that each word sounded as though someone was dragging his voice box across gravel.

“I lifted it. I didn’t really have another choice.”

“Lifted the–? Jesus. Kid I’m so sorry. Pete- I- shit. This is all my fault...”

  
“No it’s not! I told you not to think that- I deserved to have the suit taken away....besides I kept getting involved. I mean, I guess that’s partly because he figured out who I was after I took Liz to the dance, but my point-“

“Wait. Wait I’m sorry what? Someone else knows your identity? Someone who tried to, and _very nearly_ killed you, knows that your Spider-Man!?” Tony bawled, all the previous rage igniting.

_If his hair hadn’t completely fallen out by this point, it must be at least three shades greyer._

“Um...yeah. I didn’t think it was a big deal though since I stopped him and all...”

“Enough with the _‘its not a big deal’_ shit Peter! It’s a very big deal!” Tony threw his arms in the air violently.

“Yeah but he’s in prison! _And_ I saved him so it would be a real jackass move to rat me out.” The teen argued back, trying not to react to how high his voice squeaked from his rising levels of distress.

“Yeah because he wasn’t a jackass when he brought a building on you.” Tony caught Peter’s wince at his harsh, candid words and immediately softened his tone.“Criminals are criminals kid, if you don’t start seeing them as that then your going to get yourself killed.”

“You think I don’t know that! I’ve seen what people can do, but people can change Mr Stark. If I don’t believe in them then no one else will!” Peter snapped.

“No! No you won’t! Not if it puts your life danger! You can’t trust everyone, even if you saved their life.” He couldn’t let the kid’s mindless innocence be the reason he winds up killed.

“Whatever, your too scared to trust anyone anyway, so I wouldn’t expect _you_ to understand.” Peter crossed his arms fiercely.

_”Excuse me?”_

As if perfectly orchestrated, Bruce slid back into the room, carrying his clipboard in hand. He was clearly oblivious to the situation unfolding.

“Okay, I’ve run some scans and luckily I couldn’t see any signs of internal bleeding. Your free to go.”  
  


“...thank you Dr Banner.” Peter responded kindly, allowing his eyes to finally shift away from Tony.

“It’s just Bruce Peter. And your very welcome, though next time maybe don’t try and use your webs to seal an open wound. Just stick to coming to see me first.”

_Right yeah... he probably shouldn’t have done that. In his defence, he didn’t know how long it would take for Tony to arrive, and it seemed effective in the moment._

Peter shot the Doctor a small and sheepish grin.

“Oh and Peter, as much as I don’t particularly enjoy seeing you in these medical rooms, I’ll always be here to help. So no keeping secret injuries, deal?” The scientist and kind-of-doctor sent him a stern, but heat-less glare over the rim of his glasses.

However before he could agree, Tony’s unnerving silence ruptured, as he cut Peter off with an angry and sarcastic comment.

“ _Yeah well_...the kid here just loves to hide important information even if his life is in danger.”

“ _Yeah well_ I didn’t realise that you fucking cared so much!” The word’s erupted from Peter’s throat before he could catch them, the teens repressed temper finally snapping in half.

Tony’s entire body froze, pure shock knocking the already heaving breathes of sharp air from his lungs. Peter had never spoken to him like that. Hell he imagined the boy never spoke to anyone like that.

Suddenly a piercingly hard look washed over the man’s eyes, as he stared at Peter with such force the teen could feel his insides trying to claw their way out.

Peter was sure he was about to be harshly screamed at again, as he began to brace himself. However, instead, an outlandishly crestfallen gaze flickered upon the engineers face. The pained look was so brief that anyone else would have missed it. But Peter didn’t.

Guilt churned it’s way through Peter, longing to burst out in apologies as a he watched his mentor stand up without a word, and strut silently out of the room.

Even with remorse pulsating in his veins, it didn’t stop Peter muttering the exceedingly sarcastic words: “Yeah very mature”. Though he didn’t know whether he was saying it to Tony or himself.

A few minutes of uncomfortable silence passed as Bruce adjusted the bandages around the boy’s wound. Finally, when it was coherent Peter was going to remain quiet, the scientist rose his eyebrows and spoke up.

“You know he only get’s so angry because he worries?”

“Sure.” Peter huffed disbelievingly.

“It’s true.” The man sighed. “Look...I know Tony can come across as blunt as a self service checkout-“

  
Peter snorted laughter at the accurate analogy.

“-but he does it to hide his real emotions. He’s worried that if you know how he really feels about you, than he’ll...I don’t know...scare you away? Mess you up.”

“Why would me knowing that he cares about me scare me away? surely he’d know that it’s the other way around. Anyone would.” Peter frowned.

_That didn’t make any sense. Had Tony really thought that yelling at him was better than just telling him that he was worried?_

“You’d think.” Bruce sighed warily. He sounded as though he had had this conversation before.

“Then again Tony isn’t just anyone. The man may be a genius, but as one of his oldest friends, I also know he can be extremely dense.”

“I’m going to tell him you said that.” Peter laughed, grinning at the man’s comment. However his smile quickly faulted, deepening into a disappointed frown as he remembered that he and Tony weren’t talking. He envisioned Tony’s face before he stormed out of the room; hurt and betrayed.

_Yeah like he’d ever want to talk to you again_. Peter’s mind spat venomously.

“You should talk to him.” Bruce commented in a genuine tone, as if he could see the clogs working in Peter’s brain.

“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea, you saw how angry he got. I mean he didn’t even say anything! He never wants to speak to me again.” Peter said, letting his body deflate and sag.

“You and I both know that’s not true. He needs time to cool off, but not enough time to get in his own head- like you are right now. In fact I have no doubt he’s probably feeling as guilty as you are.”

“Yeah but even if I do try and talk to him, w-what if I make it worse? What if I get mad and say something I don’t mean again? I-I mean yeah I feel super guilty...but I still feel angry, and I still don’t know why he was mad at me for something that has nothing to do with him!” He could feel himself beginning to get worked up again.

“Peter, I’m going to let you in on a little secret okay?”

“Okay...” The boy responded, elongating his words skeptically.

“It will always involve him. Anything that happens to you, whether it’s good or bad, it involves Tony. You know why?”

Peter creased his brows, shaking his head in uncertainly.

“Because your his kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I’m still getting into writing fanfics so there will only be two chapters :) I also just want to say, that as someone who has them, scars are nothing to be ashamed of.


	2. Chapter 2

Peter had been pacing anxiously outside of the doors to the lab for at least forty-five minutes. Long enough for Friday to ask him if he was okay and if he wanted to enter. Needless to say he responded to the AI with a wordless shake of his head.

He tongue was as dry as sandpaper and he definitely didn’t trust himself to speak, so he just had to hope Friday could see his reply.

After finally gulping down what felt like a rock, Peter raised a trembling hand to the door handle, wasting no time in knocking as he yanked it open and stumbled inside.

Tony was hunched over on his desk, eyes darting up at Peters sudden entrance. He seemed to swallow down any initial shock he had from seeing Peter tumbling into the room like a deer caught in the headlights. Instead, focusing on placing down his project on the workbench and turning to face the boy expectantly.

Neither of the two spoke a word for several moments, though it felt like an eternity.

Tony knew he was the adult, that he should be mature and begin the sensible discussion. However he didn’t even know where so begin...  ‘ _hey kid! What you said was like a brick in the face, but I guess I deserve it since I’m a shitty dad who can’t show his own kid how much I care about him!’_

‘ _ Dad _ ’. The thought caught Tony by such surprise, that for a moment he worried that he’d suffered from whiplash. Beyond the iron exterior he knew that he cared for Peter like a son, it was why he got so infuriated whenever the boy kept secrets about getting hurt. It was why he referenced the ‘ _ cycle of shame _ _’_ that day on the Ferry.

“H-hey” Peter greeted, stuttering from explicit nerves.

When Tony didn’t immediately respond, Peters face fell and he begun to rapidly blink back the wetness burning behind his eyes. The engineer could swear he felt his  heart crack.

“M-Mr Stark, I-I’m really sorry for-for what I said! I was just t-tired and u-upset and I understand I-If you h-hate me now-“ The boy was beginning to hyperventilate and Tony instantly knew he had to take control and ease Peter away from spiralling into a panic attack.

“Hey hey, calm down bud. You seriously think I hate you? Kid, there’s nothing you could ever do that would make me hate you. And about the whole...well what you said...it’s fine, I forgive you.”

“R-really? You really forgive me?” Peter asked hopefully, his panicked gasps morphing into small hiccups.

“What am I growing a nose like Pinocchio? ‘Course I forgive you. I shouldn’t have snapped at you either–especially when you were hurt. I was being unfair. I’m sorry too okay?”

“M’kay...so-so are we good?” Peter wondered faintly.  _God he sounded so tiny, so young._

“We’re good.” Tony promised, giving his kid a tight smile.

“Just- one thing kid...I know I’m not great at the whole emotions thing, but you know I care about you right?”

“...yeah” Peter responded hesitantly, the statement coming across more like a doubtful question.

Tony sucked in a heavy shaking breathe.

“Really? Is it really that hard to believe I care about you?” Peter, once again, didn’t miss the flash of hurt that flashed upon the Man’s face as the teenager simply looked down at the ground in shame.

“Kid, why do you think I put all those protocols in a multi-million-dollar suit huh? Why do you think I have your vitals linked up to my personal AI? Because I’m really lost here so for the love of Thor- please enlighten me.

Tony tapped his foot on the floor impatiently. He didn’t want to start arguing again, especially seeing that the boy was getting flustered, but he just didn’t get it. I mean, sure he was never great at emotions, but he thought it was at least somewhat obvious he cared for Peter, hell he’d die for him without hesitation.

“I-I’m- well I just thought you, um you did all of that b-because you felt responsible for me ya know? I’m really sorry Mr. Stark, I guess I just thought...well that you did all of that because you felt like you had to. You know...because Spider-Man was helping you fight Mr Captain America-“

“You are Spider-Man, Peter!” Tony cracked, his temper flaring up again.

Suddenly Peters eyes began to well up with irrepressible tears, his lip trembling from the sudden outburst.

_T_ _ony_ _didn’t get it, he and Spider-Man weren’t the same person. Spider-Man was sarcastic; witty, strong and brave, He was the one worth of all the multi-million dollar suits. Peter was just Peter...so why did the man care if he had a few scars?_

“God...shit, fuck sorry. I’m sorry Pete.” The man stood up, walking tentatively over to the teen and lightly placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders.

“No I- it’s okay Mr Stark” he responded, failing to delinquent the waver in his voice.

“It’s not okay bud. Geez I yell at you for not seeing that I care about you, good going Howa—Tony.” The man fiercely rubbed his aching eyes in an attempt to calm and compose himself.

“Look kiddo...your right, part of the reason I did those things was because of the fight with Cap. But I was trying to keep you, _Peter_ , safe. It’s all I ever wanted, to keep you safe and happy.” Part of him felt like he should stop, tell the boy he was sorry and send him away, but he couldn’t. He needed the kid to understand.

  
Tony moved his rough-engineer hands, using his fingers to hold the boy’s chin and enforce eye contact before continuing.

“Buddy, feeling responsible for someone, and caring for someone comes hand in hand. I feel responsible for you because I care about you. I’m sorry I didn’t make my lov- ahem, how much I care about you clear enough, but honestly- I thought you knew. Peter... I can’t do this without you. Your-your my kid, okay?”

Peter didn’t know how to respond to his mentors honest admission. Surprise rippled throughout his body, as something warm filled his chest. It was as though someone had replaced the previously roaring flames with a gentle candle.

Firstly, _’_ _I can’t do this without you._ _’_ Which in all honestly Peter didn’t understand, couldn’t do what without him? Either way the mans confession sprung a soft smile to his lips. But it was when his mentor sung the words _’_ _your my kid’_ ,  when Peter felt striking love swarm his core, alongside hatred towards what he had yelled at Tony before the man walked out.

“I-I am so sorry Tony-“

That was the first time Peter had called  the man by his first name, despite all the times Tony had begged him to—claiming the unnecessarily title made him feel ancient.

_He wasn’t about to let his kid apologise when he’d been the one who had overreacted. Screaming at him rather than taking the time to listen._

“No Pete-“ Tony went to intervene, however the boy immediately cut him off, as though he could read the man’s very thoughts.

“You might have overreacted a little bit, and y-yeah I was frustrated because you weren’t listening. But _I am_ sorry , because I didn’t listen either. That whole time you were yelling I didn’t stop to think about why that was...otherwise I would have realised it was only because you cared.”

Peter sucked in a long and steady breath, picking his words carefully. “Its not your fault that I didn’t see that you care. Or that anyone cares- that’s just me. B-because I know you said me and Spider-Man are the same person, b-but we really aren’t. Spider-Man is everything I’m not... everything Peter can’t be. He’s brave and likeable and he deserves everything you give him but I-“

“Deserve it more than anyone I have ever met. Hey hey no talking, the adults talking now.” The man interrupted without any heat, sincerity coating his every word.

“Kiddo, I’ve met a lot of people. I could  meet everyone on the planet and still believe you deserve that suit more than anyone. That’s why I chose you.” Tony said surely, cupping Peters face with his hand.

After a few seconds of stillness, Tony wasn’t convinced that Peter understood the weight of his words, so he pursued...

“Hey, let me ask you something, if you weren’t wearing the suit, and there was...I don’t know, a guy holding a knife to someone, would you still get involved? Risk your life?”

“Well I mean...yeah of coarse. But I’m sure lots of people would-“

“ _Eeeerrr eeeer! _ That’s where your wrong kiddie. Most people would probably run away, get scared. But you,  _Peter_ , don’t let the fear stop you from doing what’s right. Sure, you can be a little reckless...but your also the most brave and strong kid I have ever met. And I’m not just talking about physically.” Tony stated assuredly. He moved closer to Peter so he was gaping straight into the boy’s youthful-brown orbs.

“R-really?” Peter asked in awe, his eyes glistening with astonishment.

“Ahem...I mean thank you Mr- um- Tony. That means a lot. And you are too, the bravest ki- I mean um adult that I’ve ever met. I- well you’ve always been my Hero.” He said tripping over his words.

It was true. IronMan had been Peter’s hero ever since he was only a child; he was his inspiration to do good and protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. Now, however, the world had shifted and Peter’s hero had morphed into his only father-figure: Tony Stark.

“Thanks kid.” The man responded with a sniff, blinking away a suspicious substance from his eyes. “Just promise in the future you’ll try to not do anything stupid, like I don’t know... web up wounds or take bullets for strangers.”

  
“Stupid? Me? I don’t know what your implying but I-“

Tony shot him a hard look, raising his  eyebrows. That was his ‘ _ don’t-test-me-dad-look’. _

“I promise not to web up wounds. Scouts honour.” Peter gulped, shifting slightly under his farther-figures stern gaze. Tony just scoffed,  _scouts honour...little dork . _

  
“And no more taking bullets for  strangers?” The man prompted.

“I’ll try...but you know I can’t promise that, Mr—um,  Tony.” Peter glanced down dejectedly, knowing that the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint Tony. To let his father-figure down.

“ _Please_ Peter ...look I’m literally beginning you- and Tony Stark doesn’t beg. God why do you have to be so self-sacrificial?” The man questioned, tugging at his hair roughly with his hands.

“Hey it’s not my fault...it’s just better them then me.”

“Christ Peter! You don’t even know who _they_ are!”  Tony snapped, causing Peter to flinch.

“Look, okay, I’m not going to yell. But surely you don’t believe that. That-that a random persons life is more valuable then-then  yours . Do you have any idea what would happen if you- if you... Jesus...” Tony tried to stifle the uncontrollable sobs beneath his hand, however was unsuccessful as tears escaped from his red-rimmed eyes and trailed down his burning cheeks.

“Oh no, p-please don’t cry Tony- I’m so sorry, I’m sorry! I-I, I promise! There look I promise, n-no taking bullets for strangers see?”

“B-But you d-don’t though. It’s okay kid- I-I know...it’s just who you are. I don’t want you to c-change your heart, but I can’t lose you. You understand?  _I can’t _...” He implored Peter to understand.

_If the kid...if his kid died, than he wanted to go too. It was a terrifying thought that distorted his supposedly emotionless brain, but he couldn’t ignore it any longer._

“You won’t. And I’ll call you...if I ever need to make that decision... then I promise I’ll call you.” Peter reasoned with him, subconsciously elongating his breathes so that Tony could follow them.

Once he had managed to gain control of his breathing, Tony pulled Peter in for a hug, tightly wrapping his hands around the boy’s slim frame. He drew in a long held breathe, ravishing in the scent of his kid’s smell, a smell that was so blatantly Peter.

“Okay...okay. Yeah, that-that works.” Tony mumbled into the boy’s curls after pondering over the thought.

“I’m sorry for um... yeah” He added, feeling shame creep up to his roaring cheeks for crying in front of the teen.

“You- you don’t need to say sorry Tony. I sometimes forget what the whole Spider-Man thing puts you and May through. The worry...it’s just- I just get so caught up in it y’know?”

Tony smiled sadly-though Peter couldn’t see-and rested his chin on the boy’s head.  _He did get it...the hero life can so easily consume you. Especially if you don’t have anyone to bring you back to reality.  
_

“Trust me kiddo, I know. There was a time I believed Ironman was all there was to life, in the end my obsession just fu-messed up a whole lot’a relationships.”

“What changed?” The boy asked, tilting his head up to stare up at the man. Tony took himself by surprise as he leaned down to press a warm kiss to between Peter’s crumpled brows.

“You did.” Tony answered in an solemn tone, causing Peter to scrunch his face disbelievingly.

Tony chuckled, resisting the urge to pinch the kid’s baby cheeks. “I’m serious. I couldn’t keep wallowing in my sorrows and wasting my life away in the lab, building suit after suit. Not when I- not when I had my kid to tend to...besides I didn’t need to fill the emptiness with all that stuff, not when you filled it for me.”

Peter’s eyes shone with a crisp lightness and bliss that contrasted greatly to the previous dull ache that plagued his baby browns. He had to force back the water building behind his eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my scars.” Peter stated with earnest, resting his head back against his mentors chest. 

“I guess I just really didn’t think it mattered. And-and I guess it’s embarrassing...”

  
“What? Buddy it’s nothing to be embarrassed about-“

“Isn’t it? I’m supposed to be a superhero! Not-not like that scar faced guy from that movie with the accent...you know the crazy criminal, who goes ‘ _say hello to my little friend_ _’..._ ” Peter huffed, undertaking a laughable attempt at what sounded like a french accent.

“Kiddo, you wouldn’t be a superhero without a few battle wounds– that’s not encouragement by the way. And your thinking of Tony Montana, the one played by that Al palchino guy.”

“Right yeah. In that old movie.” Peter said nodding his head.

“Old? Kid it came out in 1983.”

“Yeah Mr Stark- that’s years ago- like wayyy before I was even born. I wasn’t even alive until the two thousands remember?”

“Holy shit... you were born in the two thousands.” The man gaped, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the precious cargo he was still holding in his arms.

“Urgh yeah? I thought you knew that?”

  
“Well I mean.. yeah obviously. But the two thousands? Jesus your–your so young! Your basically an infant, god I need to put you back in the womb.”

“Firstly,  _ew_ ,  I’m pretty sure that qualifies as abuse. Second, I’m not an infant, your just really old.” Peter smirked.

“And your a little shit, you know that?”

“You love me.” Peter quipped, suddenly shrinking back into himself as he realised the tense and uneasy weight of his words. He tried to pull away from Tony’s grip in embarrassment, however the man kept a firm grip on him, so that he was still in arms reach.

“Yeah, I do Pete. More than I could ever tell you.”

“I’m sorry.” Peter said softly.

“Don’t be. I’m sorry- for not saying it.” Tony breathed.

“You don’t need to though, you shouldn’t feel pressured to say it. I-I mean there isn’t really a reason for you to-“

“-to love you? Can’t say I agree with you there kid. I can count more reasons to love a kid like you, then the number of grains of sand on Coney Island.”

Peter’s entire body shook as the value of Tony’s words hit him.  _How could he have doubted the man’s love for him for even a second?_

“That’s impossible.” Peter smiled gently, his voice hoarse.

“I’m Tony Stark, Pete. I’m known for doing the impossible.”

“Yeah like loving me?” Peter joked, though the laughter immediately coiled away, getting caught in the back of his throat.

Tony sighed sadly, shaking his head.  _ Watching his kid drag himself through never ending self doubt felt like his heart had been torn from his chest, and stomped on . _

“Loving you isn’t what’s impossible kid. It’s not loving you that is. That’s the one thing I will never be able to do; I can create anything, fly, go to space, talk to wizards. But I can’t not love you.”

A tear escaped down the boy’s cheek and Tony was quick to wipe it away. “It’s the easiest, most incredible thing that I could feel. And you know what? That’s saying something Peter, because I don’t _just_ trust people. I don’t _just_ love people. But I love  _you_.”

  
  
Peter stared at his mentor in bliss for a few moments, allowing the words to seep in, and convince himself that this wasn’t a dream. “...I love you too Tony. Thank you for being here.”  _The final words were unspoken, but as clear and crisp as daylight. ‘Thank you for holding on to me and loving me as your own’._

Tony planted a solid and adoring kiss to Peters temple, lingering longer to feel the kid’s steady pulse.  _Alive. Breathing. Protect._

“What d’you say we blow this popsicle stand to go and watch a movie hmm? I have that ice cream you like from Ben and Jerry’s.” He mumbled, lips still somewhat pressed on the teens temple.

“Really? I’d love to! Can we watch Star Wars?”

“Anything you want kiddo. Unless it’s a disney movie. I draw the line at watching girls who wear shoes made of glass.” He said running his calloused fingers  through the boy’s dark locks.

“Hey! Disney movies are nostalgic! Besides I know you secretly adore them... I have sources” Peter exclaimed, squinting his eyes to try and appear intimidating; though it was as ineffective as an upset puppy.  
  


“Oh sources huh? Now I’m worried.” Tony chuckled ruffling the kid’s untameable curls.  
  


“Friday showed me a video of you singing and dancing to beauty and the beast in the kitchen.”

“ _You little shi-_ “

* * *

When Peter later drifted away from consciousness, his head resting on Tony’s chest as the movie hummed softly in the background, he knew he had never been more loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it <3 hope you enjoyed, don’t forget to leave kudos or comment if you did :))


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